Recording Responses

Plus and minus signs alone are not usually sufficient. Whenever possible the
entire response should be recorded. If the test results are to be used by any other
person than the examiner, this is absolutely essential. Any other standard of completeness
opens the door to carelessness and inaccuracy. In nearly all the tests, except
that of naming sixty words, the examiner will find it possible by the
liberal use of abbreviations to record practically the entire response
_verbatim_. In doing so, however, one must be careful to avoid keeping
the child waiting. Occasionally it is necessary to leave off recording
altogether because of the embarrassment sometimes aroused in the child
by seeing his answer written down. The writer has met the latter
difficulty several times. When for any reason it is not feasible to
record anything more than score marks, success may be indicated by the
sign +, failure by -, and half credit by 1/2. An exceptionally good
response may be indicated by ++ and an exceptionally poor response by --.
If there is a slight doubt about a success or failure the sign? may
be added to the + or -. In general, however, score the response either +
or -, avoiding half credit as far as it is possible to do so.

If the entire response is not recorded it is necessary to record at
least the score mark for each test _when the test is given_. It must be
borne in mind that the scoring is not a purely mechanical affair.
Instead, the judgment of the examiner must come into play with every
record made. If the scoring is delayed, there is not only the danger of
forgetting a response, but the judgment is likely to be influenced by
the subject's responses to succeeding questions. Our special record
booklet contains wide margins, so that extended notes and observations
regarding the child's responses and behavior can be recorded as the test
proceeds.